Bearing systems

Abstract

A disk drive is provided with an enclosure and a disk mounted for rotation within the enclosure. The disk drive is also provided with a head mounted for rotation within the enclosure and adapted to engage the disk, a housing defining a cavity extending along an axis within the enclosure, and a shaft received within the cavity, mounted for rotation about the axis and coupled to one of the disk and the head. The disk drive is also provided with a bearing and a bearing seat. The bearing is formed generally spherical, oriented in a non-rolling configuration along the axis, and secured to one of the housing and the shaft. The bearing seat has a surface secured to the other of the housing and the shaft and biased to engage the bearing, wherein at least one of the bearing and the surface includes a low-friction coating formed thereon.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A disk drive comprising:
 an enclosure; 
 a housing disposed within the enclosure, the housing defining a cavity extending along an axis, wherein the housing includes a sidewall with an opening formed through; 
 a shaft received within the cavity, the shaft comprising:
 a central portion that is received within the cavity of the housing; and 
 a projection that extends radially outward from the central portion and through the opening, wherein a width of the projection is less than a corresponding width of the opening to define angular rotation limits of the shaft; 
 
 wherein one of the housing and the shaft is mounted for rotation about the axis and the other is adapted for rigidly mounting within the enclosure; 
 a first bearing formed generally spherical and oriented in a non-rolling configuration along the axis; 
 a first bearing seat having a first surface biased to engage the first bearing, wherein one of the first bearing and the first bearing seat is secured to the housing and the other is secured to the shaft; 
 a second bearing formed generally spherical and spaced apart from the first bearing along the axis; 
 a second bearing seat having a second surface adapted to engage the second bearing, wherein one of the second bearing and the second bearing seat is secured to the housing and the other is secured to the shaft; 
 at least one arm coupled to the shaft and adapted to rotate about the axis within a defined angular travel; and 
 a head coupled to a distal end of the at least one arm and adapted to engage a disk. 
 
     
     
       2. The disk drive of  claim 1  wherein at least one of the first bearing and the first surface includes a low-friction coating formed thereon. 
     
     
       3. The disk drive of  claim 1  further comprising:
 a holder for supporting the first bearing, wherein the shaft is formed with a body having a first end with an aperture formed therein and extending lengthwise along the axis to receive one of the first bearing seat and the holder; and 
 a spring disposed about the first end of the body and adapted to engage and bias the received one of the first bearing seat and the holder toward the non-received one of the first bearing seat and the holder. 
 
     
     
       4. The disk drive of  claim 3  wherein the spring is elastically deformed to provide a spring force axially outward from the shaft along the axis to bias the received one of the first bearing seat and the holder toward the non-received one of the first bearing seat and the holder. 
     
     
       5. The disk drive of  claim 3  wherein the spring is formed generally flat;
 wherein the shaft further comprises a step extending axially outward from a periphery of the first end of the body; and 
 wherein a portion of the spring engages the step and elastically deforms during assembly to provide a spring force acting axially outward from the shaft to bias the received one of the first bearing seat and the holder toward the non-received one of the first bearing seat and the holder. 
 
     
     
       6. The disk drive of  claim 1  further comprising: a holder supported by the enclosure and aligned along a second axis; a third bearing supported by the holder; a second holder supported by the enclosure and aligned along the second axis; a fourth bearing supported by the second holder and spaced apart from the third bearing; a cartridge assembly mounted for rotation about the second axis, the cartridge assembly comprising: a third bearing seat to engage the third bearing, and a fourth bearing seat to engage the fourth bearing; a hub coupled to the cartridge assembly to rotate about the second axis; and the disk, wherein the disk is mounted to the hub. 
     
     
       7. A disk drive comprising:
 an enclosure; 
 a disk mounted for rotation within the enclosure; 
 a head mounted for rotation within the enclosure and adapted to engage the disk; 
 a housing defining a cavity extending along an axis within the enclosure, wherein the housing includes a sidewall with an opening formed through; 
 a shaft received within the cavity and mounted for rotation about the axis, wherein the shaft is coupled to the head, the shaft comprising:
 a central portion that is received within the cavity of the housing; and 
 a projection that extends radially outward from the central portion and through the opening, wherein a width of the projection is less than a corresponding width of the opening to define angular rotation limits of the shaft; 
 
 a bearing formed generally spherical, oriented in a non-rolling configuration along the axis, and secured to one of the housing and the shaft; and 
 a bearing seat having a surface secured to the other of the housing and the shaft and biased to engage the bearing, wherein at least one of the bearing and the surface includes a low-friction coating formed thereon. 
 
     
     
       8. The disk drive of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a holder for supporting the bearing, wherein the shaft is formed with a body having a first end with an aperture formed lengthwise into the first end to receive one of the bearing seat and the holder; and 
 a spring disposed about the first end of the body and adapted to engage and bias the received one of the bearing seat and the holder toward the non-received one of the bearing seat and the holder. 
 
     
     
       9. The disk drive of  claim 8  wherein the spring is elastically deformed to provide a spring force axially outward from the shaft along the axis to bias the received one of the bearing seat and the holder toward the non-received one of the bearing seat and the holder. 
     
     
       10. The disk drive of  claim 7  further comprising:
 a second bearing formed generally spherical and secured to one of the housing and the shaft, wherein the second bearing is centered along the axis and axially spaced apart from the bearing; and 
 a second bearing seat biased toward the second bearing and secured to the other of the housing and the shaft. 
 
     
     
       11. The disk drive of  claim 7  further comprising: a holder supported by the enclosure and aligned along a second axis; a second bearing supported by the holder; a second holder supported by the enclosure and aligned along the second axis; a third bearing supported by the second holder and spaced apart from the second bearing; a cartridge assembly mounted for rotation about the second axis, the cartridge assembly comprising: a second bearing seat to engage the second bearing, and a third bearing seat to engage the third bearing; a hub coupled to the cartridge assembly to rotate about the second axis; and wherein the disk is mounted to the hub for rotation about the second axis. 
     
     
       12. The disk drive of  claim 7  wherein the head is mounted for rotation about the axis. 
     
     
       13. A pivot bearing system comprising:
 a housing having a sidewall with a generally cylindrical shape that defines a cavity extending along an axis, wherein a pair of openings are formed through opposing radial portions of the sidewall; 
 a body received within the cavity and mounted for pivotal motion about the axis; 
 a pair of projections, each projection extending radially outward from the body and through one of the pair of openings, wherein a width of each projection is less than a corresponding width of each opening to define pivotal motion limits of the body; 
 a bearing formed generally spherical, centered along the axis, and secured to one of the housing and the body in a non-rolling configuration; and 
 a bearing seat having a surface secured to the other of the housing and the body and biased to engage the bearing. 
 
     
     
       14. The pivot bearing system of  claim 13  wherein at least one of the bearing and the surface includes a low-friction coating formed thereon. 
     
     
       15. The pivot bearing system of  claim 13  wherein the bearing seat is biased to engage the bearing without a lubricant disposed therebetween. 
     
     
       16. The pivot bearing system of  claim 13  further comprising:
 a holder for supporting the bearing, wherein the body includes a first end and a second end spaced apart from the first end with an aperture extending therebetween and adapted to receive one of the bearing seat and the holder; and 
 a spring disposed about the first end of the body and adapted to engage and bias the received one of the bearing seat and the holder toward the non-received one of the bearing seat and the holder. 
 
     
     
       17. The pivot bearing system of  claim 16  wherein the spring is elastically deformed to provide a spring force axially outward from the body along the axis to bias the received one of the bearing seat and the holder toward the non-received one of the bearing seat and the holder. 
     
     
       18. A disk drive comprising:
 an enclosure; 
 a disk mounted for rotation within the enclosure; 
 a pivot bearing system according to  claim 13 ; 
 at least one arm coupled to the pair of projections and adapted to pivot about the axis within a defined angular travel; and 
 a head coupled to a distal end of the at least one arm and adapted to engage the disk.